JEJU ISLAND (South Korea), 2 June 2009: Malaysia is very keen to emulate South Korea in developing a small-scale nuclear reactor for power generation as it is more economical, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today.

The prime minister said this was because South Korea has an edge over the other countries in terms of technology, where 40% of the country’s power needs came from various types of nuclear reactors, large and small.

Najib said this when asked to comment on the outcome of his meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak after the conclusion of the Asean-Republic of Korea (ROK) Commemorative Summit here this afternoon.

He said the small-scale nuclear reactor was very safe that it could be built next to an urban area that needed electric power.

It could generate between 200,000 and 300,000 kilowatt of energy, he said.

“And the Korean president has told me that the cost [of generating electric power] is one-third of the cost of [producing electricity] using a coal-powered station. This means that there is much room for us to look deeper into it.

“As such, I have decided to ask the minister of energy, green technology and water, and the minister of science, technology and innovation to visit Korea as soon as possible and study the green technology mentioned earlier, which can be adopted in the context of Malaysia’s needs,” Najib said.

He added that he was most interested in low-carbon green technology, which was developed by South Korea, because it was in line with his agenda and thoughts on the creation of the green technology ministry. — Bernama